


Welcome and Unwelcome Guests

by GothicPrincessWitch



Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age II
Genre: Developing Friendships, Feels, Fenris and kitties is an important and adorable headcanon to me, Fluff, M/M, therapy cats
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-13
Updated: 2017-07-13
Packaged: 2018-12-01 11:38:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,600
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11485620
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GothicPrincessWitch/pseuds/GothicPrincessWitch
Summary: Fenris adopts an abandoned family of cats while he slowly becomes more comfortable with his growing friendships and with having these friends at his mansion.





	Welcome and Unwelcome Guests

**Author's Note:**

  * For [theoxfordcommando](https://archiveofourown.org/users/theoxfordcommando/gifts), [stitchcasual](https://archiveofourown.org/users/stitchcasual/gifts).



> I know I said I wasn't going to post anything new to Ao3 anymore, but this seemed a little too long for the short pieces I've been posting to Tumblr lately, so yeah...
> 
> I've talked a little bit on Tumblr about my headcanons regarding Fenris rescuing feral cats and keeping them at his mansion, for company, for comfort, as therapy cats to help with his PTSD, so this fic is based off those headcanons.

Hawke, of course, is the first one to find out. It's unsurprising, since the man seems to find an excuse to stop by the mansion and call on Fenris nearly every other day. This morning's excuse is that he just happened to be in the neighborhood -- the upscale noble neighborhood completely out of the way from any of the work the mercenary is currently involved in -- but Fenris accepts Hawke's charming salutations wordlessly. He still isn't certain what he's done to earn Hawke's attentions, but with the debt he owes, Fenris isn't foolish enough to turn him away.  
  
Fenris steps into the kitchen to make Hawke some tea, as one should for a guest, and Hawke, still talking on and on, follows him in, only to cut off mid-sentence with a gasp.  
  
"What is it?" asks Fenris, turning around to discover Hawke crouching down next to the cluster of cats. The kittens are busy kneading the lumpy, poorly-sewn cushions Fenris made for them, but they pause to mew at Hawke and sniff his outstretched hand.  
  
"Do I get an introduction to your little friends?" Hawke asks with something like glee in his voice.  
  
Fenris shifts uncomfortably, feeling suddenly shy and wrong-footed. "I found them abandoned," he responds awkwardly. "I feared they'd drown in the rain, so I brought them here. They seem to enjoy the place." He isn't sure how to explain the affinity he feels for the kittens, how he knows all too well what it's like to to be lost and abandoned like he was on Seheron, to feel alone and struggling to survive in a harsh world. At least here in his former master's mansion there's moderate shelter and warmth and plenty of vermin the cats can hunt for food.  
  
Hawke looks up from the kittens at Fenris with an expresion of utter delight, and Fenris quickly looks away, his cheeks heating. "They're wonderful," says Hawke warmly, with a softness to his smile that Fenris doesn't want to think about.  
  
"Thank you," Fenris replies.  
  
=====  
  
Bethany makes an "Awww!" sound when she first sees the kittens and cuddles one in her arms.  
  
"Aren't they the sweetest?" she coos as she pets it. Garrett Hawke had told her about Fenris's cats, so she decided to bring some leftover cream as a gift for them, she explains. Fenris murmurs his thanks, feeling oddly touched by her kindness.  
  
"We used to have a cat when I was very young," Bethany tells him with a wistful, faraway look in her golden-brown eyes, "before we moved to Lothering. She loved to sleep on Carver's pillow, and he'd wake up with a face full of fur every morning."  
  
"I'm sorry I never got to meet him," Fenris says softly but truthfully. The Hawke siblings have surprised him a great deal; he hadn't thought it possible that he could come to hold such a high opinion of a thug and a mage.  
  
With a small, sad smile Bethany lifts her gaze from the kittens to Fenris. "I think he would have liked you very much."  
  
"I think I would have liked him as well."  
  
=====  
  
"Oh, Fenris! Why didn't you tell me you had such lovely cats?" squeals Merrill when she sees the kittens in Fenris's arms.  
  
Fenris doesn't answer her and instead sends a pained look at Hawke in a silent demand as to why he broght this maleficar to Fenris's abode. Hawke merely gives him an apologetic grin.  
  
"Your pets are very pretty and adorable, Fenris," says Merrill, and Fenris tries suppressing his automatic flinch at that word.  
  
"They are **not** my pets," he insists firmly. _Never_ his _pets_. That word has too much pain and humiliation attached to it. "They are my guests."  
  
There's a sharp intake of breath from Hawke, and Fenris turns to find Hawke staring at him with an enraptured smile and eyes warm like melted honey.  
  
"It's very nice to meet your guests, then," says Merrill, scratching a small black kitten behind the ears.  
  
=====  
  
Aveline sighs wearily. "Fenris, I have a lot on my plate as it is. There's no room for cats in the barracks."  
  
"I'm not asking for you to take them with you," replies Fenris, carding his fingers through the fur of the purring kitten in his arms. "I'll be in the Deep Roads with Hawke and Bethany for some time. If you could look in on the guests from time to time, ensure they are alright and sufficiently fed, then I would be in your debt."  
  
A fluffy grey cat perched on the table meows at Aveline and bumps her hand with his head until she pets him, and Fenris can see her resolve start to weaken as the cat purrs.  
  
"Alright, I'll check in on them," she relents.  
  
"Thank you, Aveline," says Fenris with a half-smile. "I appreciate your help."  
  
"The mansion will remain empty until your return, I promise," says Aveline.  
  
"Except for my guests," adds Fenris, petting the kitten's cheeks.  
  
"Except for the cats, yes."  
  
=====  
  
The cat mews softly as she snuggles more closely against Fenris, and he hugs it, grateful for her comforting presence. A few of the other cats are playing nearby, but one curls up against his feet. They've sensed his sorrow since he came home from Hawke's estate in the middle of the night four days prior, and Fenris has been very grateful for the solace they've brought in.  
  
He's also grateful for Isabela's presence, although he'd be hard-pressed to admit it aloud. She showed up this morning, picking the locks on the front door, and presented him with a bottle of Antivan brandy.  
  
"I don't know what happened, but we're going to get drunk," she says as she pours them each a generous glass. One of the cats meows and demands Isabela's attention, and she pulls it onto her lap.  
  
"I don't want to talk about it," mutters Fenris. His gaze is locked on the red silk knotted around his wrist, and he barely glances at the too-full glass she slides toward him.  
  
"That's why we're drinking instead of talking," says Isabela with a sympathetic smile. "Cheers."  
  
=====  
  
The cats practically swarm Sebastian the moment he walks in, and he greets them each by name in perfectly pronounced Tevene. Fenris walks down the stairs, comfortable in his tunic and leggings, and his pleased expression vanishes as his nose wrinkles in disgust.  
  
"Did you bring my guests fish? Again?" he asks accusingly.  
  
Sebastian flashes him that pretty smile of angelic innocence before going into the kitchen and preparing the fish to feed the cats. Fenris follows with a huff.  
  
"They are very good cats, and they deserve a special treat," says Sebastian, chuckling softly. The cats are very affectionate toward the prince, and of course they are with all the fish he keeps delivering them three times a week.  
  
"Traitors," Fenris calls them teasingly with a laugh, and one of them meows at him in response.  
  
Fenris brings tea to the kitchen table while Sebastian opens up an unabridged volume of the Chant of Light. He sets the tome on the table and turns to the marked page where they last left off in Fenris's reading progress.  
  
"Shall we continue?" asks Sebastian amiably.  
  
"Yes, my friend."  
  
=====  
  
The candles have burned low as they finish up the last round of Diamondback. Sebastian and Donnic begin cleaning up, and Fenris snatches the cards away before one of the bolder cats can get to them. Another cat loafs on Varric's lap.  
  
"So," says Varric with a knowing gleam in his eyes, "you and Hawke?"  
  
Fenris doesn't bother to hide the smile and faint blush on his face. He pets one of the cats absently. "What about us?"  
  
"He's been a lot happier lately," says Varric, "and you've been, well, less brooding."  
  
"Yes."  
  
Varric sighs and shakes his head. "Too bad I can't get details from the cats."  
  
"Mm, too bad indeed," replies Fenris dryly. The cat in his lap meows in agreement.  
  
=====  
  
The party is waiting in the atrium as Fenris grabs the Blade of Mercy and his pack before they head out to Sundermount. One of the cats wanders past, and Anders calls to her cajolingly. The cat, however, only hisses and twitches her tail irritably and otherwise ignores the mage as she stalks over the Fenris. The cat arches around Fenris's leg and purrs, and Fenris leans down to pet her.  
  
"What a good cat," Fenris murmurs proudly.  
  
With a wounded pout, Anders folds his arms across his chest and hisses, "Of course feral animals prefer their own kind."  
  
Fenris holds his tongue against the rising anger and finishes strapping on his greatsword, while Hawke turns to Anders with a cold expression harder than steel and a threatening crack of his knuckles.  
  
=====  
  
The hour is late as Garrett Hawke arrives at Fenris's mansion. Nearly midnight, later than he'd promised, but seemingly endless ambushes of bandits had held him up. Hawke unlocks the front door and goes upstairs to Fenris's bedroom, quietly in case Fen is already asleep.  
  
His heart melts when he enters the room to discover Fenris curled up comfortably in bed with all of his cats snuggling him asleep together. Fuck, if that isn't the cutest sight Hawke has ever seen. Hawke tries nudging one of the fatter cats aside so that he can sit on the edge of the bed, but the cat grumbles at him sleepily.  
  
Fenris's eyes open, blinking dazedly, but he smiles happily and beautifully when he sees Hawke. A tattooed hand reaches out to Hawke to pull him closer.  
  
"Welcome home," whispers Fenris.

**Author's Note:**

> If you want to know the silly Tevene names of the cats, they are as follows:  
> \- Impilium (Little Socks)  
> \- Basioballum (Little Fluffykins)  
> \- Micatulus (Little Sparkles)  
> \- Ferrulum (Little Swordykins)  
> \- Accipitrilla (Little Hawkypoo)  
> \- Babula (Little Bearded One)  
> \- Macula (Little Spot)  
> \- Roscidulus (Little Dew Drop)
> 
> Credit goes to stitchcasual for helping me get the Latin for their names. <3


End file.
